Does Relieving Sleep Apnea Achieve Anything Useful?

[i_am_jim]

NOTE: It would be good if you read my introduction before reading this.

As I explained in my introduction, I’ve had moderately severe to severe sleep apnea for about 50 years. So, I’ve lived with this condition constantly all this time and of the defined side effects, the only major one that could be associated with it is hypertension. But, for many reasons I do not think my hypertension is caused by sleep apnea.

I’ve been using my latest CPAP setup for about a month. In recent years I become sleepy during the day. If I try to read or watch TV I go to sleep. I had hoped this was a side effect of the apnea. I started having PAC arrhythmias a few years ago which I though might be relieved if I stopped the apneas. Apparently not, because there has been no change in either of these conditions.

The only changes resulting from the use of the CPAP have been:

• My wife reports that I no longer snore. (Whereas, I have always snored very loudly all night.)
• I don’t wake up strangling or gasping for air.
• I am a mouth breather and have to sip water several times at night. Not anymore.
• I get up to take a leak 2-3 times a night rather than 4-5 times.
• I wake up 2 hours earlier than I did previously. Six instead of 8AM

I don't feel any different. My blood pressure has not changed. My drowsiness has not improved. My PAC arrhythmias are not reduced/changed/improved.

So, none of the condition I am using the CPAP for have been improved.

Thus my question, does reliving sleep apnea achieve anything really useful?

[derek]

Reliving or relieving???
Geez, I'd hate to relive apneas - gasp
Just kidding - seriously, I still get yawning attacks at times during the day, and my snoring has gone to near zero.
And what about your desats? Are they improved? Your health may be much improved even though you do not feel 100% cured.

[jcobb607]

I believe that it does. Without sleep. the human body undergoes some tremendous amount of stress. With sleep. the stress is reduced and or eliminated. The longer the body has been under stress, the longer it will take to eliminate that stress in my opinion, however I DO NOT believe that it is a 1:1 ratio. In other words, if you have had apnea for 50 years, it doesn't take 50 years to relieve the damage done, but it would probably take longer than someone who has only had it for 5 years. Of course, I am merely speculating here and my opinion is subject to change. Most people that I have asked and talked to have all stated that the changes were not immediate. There is an adjustment period before the body accepts that you have relieved your sleep deficit. Being this has been my first week of therapy, I don't believe that I have caught up on my deficit, BUT I can attest to the fact that I feel better, I have a great attitude now, I am not as tired anymore, and my mental focus is staying sharper longer throughout the day.

I truly believe that this therapy works, BUT our attitudes towards it has a lot to do with how well it works. A negative attitude will produce less than desirable results, as will a positive attitude produce better results.

Like I said, all this is pure speculation on my part.

Jay

[i_am_jim]

seriously, I still get yawning attacks at times during the day, and my snoring has gone to near zero.
And what about your desats? Are they improved? Your health may be much improved even though you do not feel 100% cured.

What are desats? If this is something that has to be measured while I'm asleep I wouldn't have any way to know.

[i_am_jim]

our attitudes towards it has a lot to do with how well it works. A negative attitude will produce less than desirable results, as will a positive attitude produce better results.

I went into it with a very positive attitude. I assumed it would have at least some, if not all, of the beneficial effects I hoped for. I figured for sure it would overcome the daytime sleepiness. So, I don't think my attitude is the problem. It's just doesn't appear to be doing much.

[snoremonger]

The only changes resulting from the use of the CPAP have been:

• My wife reports that I no longer snore. (Whereas, I have always snored very loudly all night.)
• I don’t wake up strangling or gasping for air.
• I am a mouth breather and have to sip water several times at night. Not anymore.
• I get up to take a leak 2-3 times a night rather than 4-5 times.
• I wake up 2 hours earlier than I did previously. Six instead of 8AM

Jim,

Sounds like you have improved many things. The fact that you are not keeping wifey up all night has got to be a plus! Also strangling and gasping for air takes a lot out of you wheather you feel better or not. Hey, less trips to the john? And just think, 2 more hours of day to sieze.

I am not at all used to my therapy yet (i.e. mask leaks, noises, rainout, mask leaks, not getting to sleep, and oh, did I mention mask leaks?) but the 2 out of 13 days that I have managed to keep everything on during the night I felt really good. Not that I didn't get sleepy during the day, which I think will improve over time, but I had great mental clarity and brain was less foggy. Also woke up 2 hours earlier and felt more awake than I did before cpap.

All I can say is if you have the equipment and you can get to sleep you should hang in there for quite a while and maybe you wil start to feel better.

Best of luck to ya!

[derek]

jim,
(Edit) I see in your Introduction that you quote your PO2's in the low 80%s. That is your oxygen saturation level.
Oxygen desaturation in the blood occurs while you are not breathing, and is one of the long-term life threatening aspects of OSA. To measure the desaturation you need a recording oximeter, which clips on the finger while you sleep. You probably had this done during your sleep study, and your doc would know how bad your situation was at that time.

[BP]

It takes some people a long time to reap the benefits. A friend didn't start seeing real improvement for 8 months. Post another message after a year and see how things are, if no better, get another sleep study and consult with your doctor.

Good luck,
BP

[Guest]

One change is that your wife doesn't notice snoring! If she sleeps in the same room (and many spouses of chronic snores do not) then your CPAP just might be benefitting her. She might not suffer as many sleep disturbances throughout the night as she once did.

Sleep science should really consider a "snoring spouse" or "snoring bed partner" to be a bona fide and recognizable sleep disorder. Along that line of thought I guess I treat my wife's sleep disorder every night by wearing my CPAP!

[i_am_jim]

The only changes resulting from the use of the CPAP have been:

• My wife reports that I no longer snore. (Whereas, I have always snored very loudly all night.)
• I don’t wake up strangling or gasping for air.
• I am a mouth breather and have to sip water several times at night. Not anymore.
• I get up to take a leak 2-3 times a night rather than 4-5 times.
• I wake up 2 hours earlier than I did previously. Six instead of 8AM

Jim,

Sounds like you have improved many things. The fact that you are not keeping wifey up all night has got to be a plus! Also strangling and gasping for air takes a lot out of you wheather you feel better or not. Hey, less trips to the john? And just think, 2 more hours of day to sieze.

Everybody's priorities are different, but for me those changes are not enough to mess with all this.

[i_am_jim]

One change is that your wife doesn't notice snoring! If she sleeps in the same room (and many spouses of chronic snores do not) then your CPAP just might be benefitting her. She might not suffer as many sleep disturbances throughout the night as she once did.

I guess she may actually suffer from my snoring, but she doesn't see it that way. When I used to be away or work travel she had a hard time sleeping. My snoring assured her (in her sleep) that I was nearby and this made her feel secure. When I was away she would awake repeatedly, feeling anxious and insecure. It was a comforting noise, sort of like the wave machines

[neversleeps]

Does Relieving Sleep Apnea Achieve Anything Useful?

Yes, it does. Individuals diagnosed with sleep apnea are at increased risk for suffering from a stroke, heart attack, high blood pressure, depression, diabetes, obesity, sexual disfunction, etc. Click on this to see an interesting graph:Cardiovascular Disease and Sleep Apnea

and read this:

Medical Consequences of Sleep Apnea

Cardiovascular consequences of OSA*
hypertension (high blood pressure)
heart failure
atherosclerosis (heart attacks, angina)
atherosclerosis (stroke)
atrial fibrillation
ventricular arrhythmias
pulmonary hypertension

Other consequences of OSA:
trauma (traffic accidents)
glaucoma
snoring spouse syndrome
diminished libido
in children: illness like attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD)
in children: slowed growth

Other associations with OSA:
obesity
obesity syndromes, such as Prader-Willi syndrome
polycystic ovary disease
renal failure
hypothyroidism
Marfan syndrome
Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease
post-polio syndrome
gastro-esophageal reflux
worsening of epilepsy

Hypertension and heart failure are strongly linked with sleep apnea. OSA appears to be a cause of hypertension. It appears that sleep can be either a cause or an effect of heart failure. Recent trials have demonstrated that treating sleep apnea in patients with heart failure is beneficial.
Persons with sleep apnea have an elevated risk of motor vehicle collisions. The risk returns to normal when the sleep apnea is successfully treated.

*Wolk R, Somers VK. Cardiovascular consequences of obstructive sleep apnea. Clin Chest Med. 2003;24:195-205.
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Snoring is actually an indication that your health is being compromised and your breathing is distressed. If your wife knew this, she most certainly would no longer view the sound as "comforting".

[FL andy]

I don't feel any different. My blood pressure has not changed. My drowsiness has not improved. My PAC arrhythmias are not reduced/changed/improved.

So, none of the condition I am using the CPAP for have been improved.

Thus my question, does reliving sleep apnea achieve anything really useful?

i_am_jim also wrote (in his introduction) : I'm a curmudgeon and a skeptic. I explain all this so you know my background and experience when I post questions and comments.][/quote]

Hi jim,

I too am 70 but have had apnea only for 40 years before I began treatment eight months ago. I may be somewhat skeptical also.

But, I am pleased with what xpap has done for me:

- My wife's health has improved because she is getting far better restful sleep than before xpap

- I do not seem to upset her as easily as before xpap. I probably have changed my own behavior a little, but not that much. Perhaps because she is getting more restful sleep, she herself is less quick on the trigger. THUS, MY LIFE IS BETTER, MY HOME IS HAPPIER, MY MOOD IS LIGHTER, I AM LESS ANXIOUS, and **perhaps the most important**: I AM A BETTER PERSON THAN I USED TO BE BECAUSE I FINALLY PUT THE IMPORTANCE OF MY WIFE'S HEALTH ON AT LEAST THE SAME LEVEL AS MY OWN.

- If I was a curmudgeon prior to xpap, I certainly am far less of one after sticking with OSA treatment for eight months.

My good friend, please give yourself a chance to find out what steady, daily, uninterrupted treatment can do for you. It will work in 98 percent of the cases if it is given an honest chance.

This message board is here for you and every OSA afflicted sufferer. You are lucky that you, yourself, recognized you have this condition and sought out treatment. But, honestly, Jim, you have not given xpap a real chance to work for you. DO NOT GIVE UP. Let this message board help you. Post often and honestly. Encouragement clearly is needed by everyone who starts out on xpap treatment.

Best wishes for sticking it out with daily use of your equipment. Don't miss one night. Try different masks. And read this site.

If you believe in God, pray. If you don't believe, those of us who do will pray for you.

Andy

[meister]

Now there is something worthwhile!

[wading thru the muck!]

Jim,

I understand your frustration but keep this in mind; if you smoked for 50 years would you expect to be back to normal shortly after you quit. To be frank, unfortunately for you, in some areas you may never see any improvement due to the long term damage caused by 50 years of desats. Only you can decide if the treatment is worth the benefit.

I'm sure your internal organs would vote to not be deprived of oxygen for one more night... 18,000+ nights were already enough.